As Sierra Leone near the conclusion of the most encouraging FIFA World Cup™ qualification campaign in their history, Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) President Babadi Kamara has met FIFA President Gianni Infantino to discuss infrastructure and investment in the West African nation.

The two leaders convened in Kinshasa, DR Congo, on the eve of the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) 47th Ordinary General Assembly and three days before Sierra Leone face a key match in their bid to qualify for the FIFA World Cup for the first time.

“We are a football-loving nation. We are one of the few nations in the region that watches football every other day,” said Mr Kamara, whose leadership as Chairman of Bo Rangers turned the club into a domestic football powerhouse before his election as SLFA President on 2 August 2025.

FIFA is committed to transforming Sierra Leone’s passion into more opportunities for local players and better results at international level through the FIFA Forward Programme. This has already provided funding to support the installation of five artificial turf pitches at venues across the country – two in Freetown and one each in the cities of Bo, Kenema and Port Loko - plus the repair of a sixth pitch, technical centre upgrades, transport equipment and more. In October 2022, the Sierra Leone Women’s Premier League kicked off with FIFA Forward support.

Mr Infantino previously met the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio and reaffirmed his commitment to furthering the nation’s football prospects. “I was pleased to discuss football with Sierra Leone Football Association President Babadi Kamara in DR Congo, most notably the support FIFA Forward provides,” Mr Infantino said in Kinshasa. “Having met Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio in New York last month, I continued conversations on the topics of infrastructure development and women’s football. We also spoke about the importance of good governance and helping the youth with more opportunities, and how our game can make a positive difference in society.”

Mr Kamara said pitches were the key to expanding those vital opportunities, adding that just five of Sierra Leone’s 16 districts currently have proper playing venues. “I highlighted all of that to the President for him to know that there is dire need for us to have football infrastructure in all 16 political districts in Sierra Leone, so that school-going kids who have the opportunity to play in their district do not need to travel from one district to another, with all the risks that are attached to travelling,” Mr Kamara said.

“So, for me, good governance and football infrastructure are my priority, and that is what we are working towards. To ensure that we rebrand Sierra Leone football and make it very interesting for players to play.” On 8 October, Sierra Leone will host Burkina Faso – in Paynesville, Liberia - in a FIFA World Cup 26™ qualifier that will determine whether they remain in contention for a place in next year’s FIFA Play-Off Tournament and a chance to qualify for the FIFA World Cup itself. The Leone Stars are third in Group A of the African qualifiers, three points behind second-place Burkina Faso, and can still finish as runners-up in the group. To do so, they must first beat Burkina Faso, then get a better result against Djibouti, on 12 October in Casablanca, Morocco, than Burkina Faso achieve at home to Ethiopia on the same day. If they finish as one of the four best runners-up, they qualify for the African play-off round and a chance to play at the FIFA Play-Off Tournament in March 2026. Sierra Leone’s run is an inspiring reminder that every nation has the potential to improve if the game is nurtured at the grassroots. “The stadiums are always full because we are a football-loving nation. So, if we have FIFA to come and invest and support us in infrastructure, we’ll always have FIFA in our hearts,” Mr Kamara said. “I’m thanking [Mr Infantino] for his leadership… These discussions, I believe, were very fruitful. It was a learning experience for me, too.”